Thursday, 29 July 2010

Bad JuJu

My chakras obviously aren't aligned and my feng shui is all out of whack. This post was supposed to be about a return to form (not my form I'm probably in worse shape than I was in march) but the weather was finally back for a decent night ride. Arranged to meet Si and Johnnie, got my Heckler out, good time to test my new wheel (mistake) saw the spoke key but thought no need wheel is bedded in and I have a key on my multitool (mistake x2) grabbed my backpack (a hat trick) and set off. Up barrow bridge and winter hill. On top of winter hill back end felt all wiggly. Hmm pivot loose or something? Nope back wheel, all the spokes had unwound so it was stupidly slack, like it had just been laced. Sweary, lots of sweary words. Look in my pack for multitool - oops, the multitool with a spoke key is in my other pack and I am bereft, key-less. Lots more swearing. Ended up walking down kennel run, met the lads on georges lane, used Si's spoke key to put some tension in the wheel and gingerly made my way home on road. Grrrrrr. Wheels going into shop at weekend. Might have another go at wheel building in the future but not for use on the heckler, need something I can trust.

2 comments:

Nothing wrong with getting someone to look over your work, it will take time to get the hang of wheel building. Jez "built" the front wheel on my Titus because he won a drunken Ebay bid on a Chris King front hub. I bought the rest of the gubbins and he put it together but wasn't 100% happy with it....then we took it to a good local wheel builder who finished it off, to be fair to Jez he wasn't far off.

I rode the wheel on the Switchbacks holiday we were on and didn't have a problem at all. Though my riding wasn't anywhere near as full on as yours if I remember!

About Me

I ride bikes, for fun. I also do it to keep fit and cos commuting any other ways sucks but mainly for fun. This is a ride diary with sporadic comments about the state of the trails/roads/world around me.